OMG! I brought the new conversion home last night!

[e30damen]

Wow. Way overpriced. Im sorry for your wallet.

[napabavarian]

I am not comprehending your analogy.

Sarcasm... Labor costs money, if the installer did these every day he could do it quick and cheap, but while on a national basis this is a common swap on an individual mechanic basis it is super rare, so not only does said mechanic need to do the work, he/she must also do the research to find what parts to use, and will likely use more new parts than a scrounge like me who is always looking for parts, and when I get enough I build something I do, the price isn't cheap, but including other work done it is in the right ballpark, if the other option is a new 135i at $40,000 then it isn't so bad, e36/e46 just don't have the fits like a glove feel of the e30, but if you can deal with an ugly body the Z3 is sweet from the inside

[TrentW]

Gotta agree with the majority here--I think I'd take it back and make them detail the engine bay and align the M Tech panels at least. For the money they (over)charged you, it doesn't say much for TSA's pride in their work.

However, get some nice rims and tires mounted, install some sport seats, and it'll really improve the overall look of your car.

I am jealous though, as I'm still saving and scrounging for parts for my S52 swap and am looking forward to the day I get to take that first drive...

[blunttech]

holy half assed over priced swap batman. $14k seriously? I would have done everything there for less than $3k, done it better, and it would have looked like it should, not how it does.

then youre a fucking idiot. Less than 3k to do all that work? Im not defending tsa because i dont know shit about them except that terrys a nice personable guy. But a shop cannot detail shit out like you can when youre sitting in your garage with tons of time. If you want a pristine clean swap do it yourself. If youre cutting a check expect to clean up some details yourself. I would have went obd1 though. Looks good and with a little elbow grease youll have a really nice car

[Funkmasta]

Sarcasm... Labor costs money, if the installer did these every day he could do it quick and cheap, but while on a national basis this is a common swap on an individual mechanic basis it is super rare, so not only does said mechanic need to do the work, he/she must also do the research to find what parts to use, and will likely use more new parts than a scrounge like me who is always looking for parts, and when I get enough I build something I do, the price isn't cheap, but including other work done it is in the right ballpark, if the other option is a new 135i at $40,000 then it isn't so bad, e36/e46 just don't have the fits like a glove feel of the e30, but if you can deal with an ugly body the Z3 is sweet from the inside

My brain hurts from attempting to read all of that. Can you rephrase it with a little punctuation?

[E30FTW]

then youre a fucking idiot. Less than 3k to do all that work? Im not defending tsa because i dont know shit about them except that terrys a nice personable guy. But a shop cannot detail shit out like you can when youre sitting in your garage with tons of time. If you want a pristine clean swap do it yourself. If youre cutting a check expect to clean up some details yourself. I would have went obd1 though. Looks good and with a little elbow grease youll have a really nice car

I said I would do the swap and accompanying labor on his car that TSA performed for $3k or less. The end result would look 10x better and work at least as well.

Terry clearly screwed him hard without any lube on the bill, but that is what they do best. How exactly the OP feels he's been done right is testimate to TSA's salesman abilities.

[blunttech]

I said I would do the swap and accompanying labor on his car that TSA performed for $3k or less. The end result would look 10x better and work at least as well.

Terry clearly screwed him hard without any lube on the bill, but that is what they do best. How exactly the OP feels he's been done right is testimate to TSA's salesman abilities.

go try to operate a full blown shop with real employees and overhead and insurance and then come back and tell me how youll do all that for 3k. just shut your hole now as youre making yourself sound even dumber than you already have. ask someone who actually runs a shop. now go back to your 1 stall unheated garage and dream about a new 3 drawer craftsman toolbox

[FredK]

If the shop labor rate is $100/hr, there is no way that they would charge for 30 hours of labor to swap the engine, install the suspension, and install a body kit. I bet a brunt of the cost came from all of the parts that went into the swap, that were billed at retail prices... i.e. control arms for $150 each, etc.

[Van Westervelt]

Why are we talking about this 6 months later?

[blunttech]

Why are we talking about this 6 months later?

nobody has overpaid for a swap lately?

[Van Westervelt]

nobody has overpaid for a swap lately?

I doubt anyone really ever bends over for the blunt end without any lube like this guy did though. Its sad, but hey, I have seen worse.

[E30FTW]

go try to operate a full blown shop with real employees and overhead and insurance and then come back and tell me how youll do all that for 3k. just shut your hole now as youre making yourself sound even dumber than you already have. ask someone who actually runs a shop. now go back to your 1 stall unheated garage and dream about a new 3 drawer craftsman toolbox

No one twisted the OP's arm. He picked his installer, and he paid the bill. I'm just saying.. next time someone needs this sort of thing done in Texas and wants to pay a reasonable price... there are many many many alternatives to TSA for that pricing, and I'm not looking for work. I've got more than I know what to do with.

[blunttech]

I doubt anyone really ever bends over for the blunt end without any lube like this guy did though. Its sad, but hey, I have seen worse.

do you know who trevor is? he is 60k deep into a 4 door e30 swap by turner.

[Turf1600]

go try to operate a full blown shop with real employees and overhead and insurance and then come back and tell me how youll do all that for 3k. just shut your hole now as youre making yourself sound even dumber than you already have. ask someone who actually runs a shop. now go back to your 1 stall unheated garage and dream about a new 3 drawer craftsman toolbox

I've seen his motor swaps (and helped with one) and they look pretty damn good. You know 14k is outrageous. There's no doubt the guy should have done it himself - or at least shopped around. TSA only seems to do great work on their own cars

[blunttech]

I've seen his motor swaps (and helped with one) and they look pretty damn good. You know 14k is outrageous. There's no doubt the guy should have done it himself - or at least shopped around. TSA only seems to do great work on their own cars

have any of you fuckers ever ran a business? or have any clue to the overhead, workers comp, health insurance, utilities, taxes etc etc ..... and its not 14k its `10k and less than that . he had all new suspension installed. 4k for the motor. what about driveshaft tranny, exhaust? ask joe funk what its like. and nobody held a gun to this dudes head anyway. it looks to me like sayther made maybe 5k in labor. ive done a few swaps myself and know whats involved. the 3k dollar dude may be the greatest mechanic ever, i have no clue... but he doesnt have the overhead sayther has either.